Phase coherent differential structures

ABSTRACT

Phase-coherent differential structures contain a phase-coherent transformer having two pairs of phase-coherent coupled differential inductors.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/997,352 filed on Jan. 30, 2008, now U.S. Pat. No. 7,886,239, incorporated herein by reference in its entirety, which is a national stage entry of PCT/US2006/029165 filed on Jul. 26, 2006, incorporated herein by reference in its entirety, which claims priority to U.S. provisional patent application Ser. No. 601705,869 filed on Aug. 4, 2005, incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.

STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT

This invention was made with Government support under Grant Number N66001-04-1-8934 awarded by the U.S. Navy. The Government has certain rights in the invention.

FIELD

The present invention relates to differential structures. More particularly, the present invention relates to power-efficient, low phase noise differential structures that are tolerant of differential input phase mismatch.

BACKGROUND

Due to the high market demand for new wireless technologies, there is great interest in developing differential structures such as, for example, frequency dividers that are able to efficiently operate at high frequencies with large division gain.

The frequency divider is one of the key building blocks of phase-locked loops (PLLs) in communications systems that use frequency synthesizers for wireless and Serial/Deserialized (Ser/Des) for wired/optical applications.

Current technology utilizes conventional twist-coupled toggle latch based frequency dividers that store electrical energy non-coherently in the parasitic capacitances. However, the conventional twist-coupled toggle latch based frequency dividers waste energy and generate noise through the charging/discharging process. A more power efficient topology that introduces less noise to the signal would be highly desirable for future wireless technologies such as RF/millimeter wave systems.

Typical divider designs are reported in the following literature and graphed in FIG. 7.

-   [1] M. Wurser, et al, “42 GHz Static Frequency Divider in a Si/SiGe     Bipolar Technology,” ISSCC Digest of Tech. Papers, 1997, pp. 86-87. -   [2] Z. Lao, et al., “55 GHz Dynamic Frequency Divider IC,” Elec.     Let. 34 (20), 1998, pp. 1973-1974. -   [3] A. Felder, et al., “Static Silicon Frequency Divider for Low     Power Consumption (4 mW, 10 GHz) and High-Speed (160 mW, 19 GHz),”     Proceedings, IEEE BCTM, 1992, pp. 159-162. -   [4] B. Razavi, et al., “A 13.4 GHz CMOS Frequency Divider,” ISSCC     Digest of Tech. Papers, 1994, pp. 176-177. -   [5] H. Wang, “A 1.8V 3 mW 16.8 GHz Frequency Divider in 0.25 μm     CMOS,” ISSCC Digest of Tech Papers, 2000, pp. 196-197. -   [6] H, Knapp, et al., “25 GHz Static Frequency Divider and 25 GB/s     Multiplexer in 0.12 μm CMOS,” ISSCC, Digest of Tech. Papers, 2002,     pp. 302-303. -   [7] Z. Lao, et al., “1.3V Supply Voltage 38 GHz Static Frequency     Divider,” Elec. Let. 40 (5), 2004, pp. 295-296. -   [8] M. Tiebout, “A CMOS Direct Injection-Locked Oscillator Topology     as High-Frequency Low-Power Frequency Divider,” IEEE J. of     Solid-State Circuits, 39 (7), 2004, pp. 1170-1174. -   [9] J. Lee, at al., “A 40-GHz Frequency Divider in 0.18 μm CMOS     Technology,” IEEE J. of Solid State Circuits 39 (4), 2004, pp.     594-601.

To overcome the deficiencies of the conventional twist-coupled toggle latch based frequency dividers, the present disclosure presents a new design that employs a phase-coherent transformer to obtain power-efficient, low phase noise frequency dividers that are tolerant of differential input phase mismatch.

SUMMARY

According to the present disclosure, phase-coherent differential structures are disclosed.

According to a first embodiment disclosed herein, a circuit is disclosed, comprising: a differential structure having a first circuit for a first input and a second circuit for a second input; and a phase-coherent transformer connected to the differential structure for storing magnetic energy reverberating between the first circuit and the second circuit in accordance with toggling of the first input and the second input.

According to a second embodiment disclosed herein, a method for manufacturing a phase-coherent differential structure is disclosed, comprising: selecting a differential structure having a first circuit for a first input and a second circuit for a second input; and connecting a phase-coherent transformer to the differential structure for storing magnetic energy reverberating between the first circuit and the second circuit in accordance with toggling of the first input and the second input.

According to a third embodiment disclosed herein, a method for dividing frequency of a signal is disclosed, comprising: selecting a phase-coherent frequency divider circuit comprising a differential structure connected to an energy reverberation mechanism; and transmitting said signal through the phase-coherent frequency divider circuit, wherein the energy reverberation mechanism stories magnetic energy reverberating in the differential structure.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

FIG. 1 depicts a master/slave (M/S) latch topology circuit according to the present disclosure;

FIG. 2 depicts a master only (M/O) latch topology circuit according to the present disclosure;

FIG. 3 a depicts performance characteristics of the circuit in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 b depicts performance characteristics of the circuit in FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 depicts measured phase noise levels of the circuits in FIGS. 1 and 2 versus input signal noise level as a function of offset frequency;

FIGS. 5 a-h depict the output of circuit in FIG. 2 as the inputs are phase mismatched up to ±120°;

FIG. 6 depicts input sensitivity of circuits in FIGS. 1-2 versus frequency; and

FIG. 7 depicts operation effectiveness of the circuit in FIG. 2 by comparing its figure-of merit (F.O.M.) with other high speed and low power divider designs known in the art.

In the following description, like reference numbers are used to identify like elements. Furthermore, the drawings are intended to illustrate mayor features of exemplary embodiments in a diagrammatic manner. The drawings are not intended to depict every feature of every implementation nor relative dimensions of the depicted elements, and are not drawn to scale.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

In conventional latch based differential structures like, for example, frequency dividers, energy is stored in parasitics non-coherently. This wastes energy and generates noise due to the charging/discharging processes, resulting in power-hungry and high signal attenuation in high frequency applications. In contrast to this un-correlated energy storage mechanism, the phase coherent frequency dividers disclosed in the present disclosure store magnetic energy in a phase-coherent transformer (PCT) that includes two phase-coherent coupled differential inductors. The energy reverberation mechanism in the phase-coherent transformer makes the disclosed phase coherent frequency dividers power-efficient as they consume less power with increased division gain, with low phase noise and high operation efficiency, and tolerance for differential input phase mismatching.

In one exemplary embodiment, a phase-coherent transformer 20 may be implemented in a master / slave (M / S) latch topology circuit 10, as shown in FIG. 1. The circuit 10 consists of interconnected transistors M₁,...M₆, forming a Master latch and interconnected transistors S₁,...S₆, forming a Slave latch. The phase-coherent transformer 20 consists of inductors L₁ and L₂ of opposite polarity that are phase matched with inductors L₃ and L₄ that are also of opposite polarity. Circuit 10 depicts a differential structure 12 within which is shown a first circuit 14 a and second circuit 14 b.

To analyze the circuit 10, V_(out+) and V_(out−) are initially presumed to be high and low respectively. When the input signal V_(in+) is high and V_(in−) is low, the drain of a transistor M₁ is low due to a current i_(A) flowing into the transistor M₁ from node A and the drain of a transistor M₂ is high. Because of the phase coherence between the inductors L₁, L₂ and the inductors L₃, L₄, there is an induced electromotive force (EMF) pointing from the drain of a transistor S₁ to node C helping the inductors L₃ and L₄ in the Slave latch to turn off. When V_(in+) goes low and V_(in−) becomes high, current i_(C) flows from node C into the drain of the transistor S₁ as the current i_(A) reduces to zero. It this the reduction of current i_(A) that generates an induced current i_(CA) that also flows from node C into the drain of the transistor S₁, providing extra power gain and accelerating the state change.

According to Faraday's induction law, EMF=−dφ_(m)/dt=ωφ_(m) and di_(A)/dt=Mdφ_(m)/dt, where φ_(m) is the magnetic flux linking the two differential inductors L₁ to L₂ and L₃ to L₄ and M is the mutual inductance. Therefore, the value of the induced current i_(CA) depends on the rate of change in current i_(A), and thus the signal frequency of ω. The higher the input signal frequency, the larger the induced current i_(CA) and the higher the incremental gain. As a result, instead of wasting energy by charging/discharging parasitics non-coherently in conventional frequency dividers, circuit 10 stores the magnetic energy in the phase-coherent transformer 20 that reverberates the energy back and forth between the Master and the Slave latches in accordance with the input toggling.

In another exemplary embodiment, a phase-coherent transformer 20 may be implemented in a master only (M/O) latch topology circuit 30, as shown in FIG. 2. The circuit 30 consists of interconnected transistors M₁, M₂, forming the sensing pair and M₃, M₄ forming a latching pair. The phase-coherent transformer 20 consists of inductors L₁ and L₂ of opposite polarity that are phase matched with inductors L₃ and L₄ that are also of opposite polarity. Circuit 30 depicts a differential structure 32 within which is shown a first circuit 34 a and second circuit 34 b.

To analyze the circuit 30, V_(out+) and V_(out−) are initially presumed to be high and low respectively. When the input signal V_(in+) is high and V_(in−) is low, the drain of a transistor M₁ is low due to a current i_(A) flowing into the transistor M₁ from node A and the drain of a transistor M₂ is high. Because of the inherent phase coherence between the inductors L₁, L₂ and the inductors L₃, L₄, there is an induced electromotive force (EMF) pointing from the drain of a transistor M₃ to node C helping the inductors L₃ and L₄ to turn off. When V_(in+) goes low and V_(in−) becomes high, current i_(C) flows from node C into the drain of the transistor M₃ as the current i_(A) reduces to zero. Like for the circuit 10 described above, the reduction of current i_(A) in the circuit 30 generates an induced current i_(CA) that also flows from node C into the drain of the transistor M₃, providing extra power gain and accelerating the state change.

As a result, a 2:1 frequency divider can be implemented in the master only (M/O) latch topology circuit 30 as the magnetic energy reverberates between the sensing/latching pairs once while the input signal toggles twice.

Circuits 10 and 30 may be fabricated with standard 0.18 μm CMOS technology. Because one skilled in the art can easily recognize that bipolar technologies can also be used to implement embodiments disclosed in the present disclosure and their equivalents, the implementation of the bipolar technologies will not be discussed in the present disclosure.

FIGS. 3 a-b, 4, 5 a-h, 6 and 7 depict performance characteristics of circuits 10 and 30. Specifically, FIG. 3 a depicts that circuit 10 having a large division gain with small power consumption when operating at f_(in) =18 Ghz. FIG. 3 b depicts that circuit 30 also has a large division gain with small power consumption when operating at f_(in) =19.4 Ghz. FIG. 4 depicts measured phase noise levels of the circuits 10 and 30 versus input signal noise level as a function of offset frequency. FIGS. 5 a-h depict output of circuit 30 as the inputs are phase mismatched up to ±120°. FIG. 6 depicts input sensitivity of circuits 10 and 30 versus frequency, wherein power supply voltage is 1.8V, the input power signal is lower than −10 dBm and the circuit 10 shows 1 GHz dividing range while circuit 30 shows 2 GHz dividing range. FIG. 7 depicts operation effectiveness of the circuit 30 by comparing its figure-of merit (F.O.M.) with other high speed and low power divider designs known in the art. As known in the art, the F.O.M. is defined by multiplying the dividing speed (the input signal frequency in Giga-Hz) with the output power gain and then dividing it by the total power consumption (in Watts), i.e. SpeedxGain/Power. As can be seen in FIG. 7, the circuit 30 is almost 27 dB more efficient than other divider designs known in the art.

One skilled in the art can easily appreciate that other differential structures, for example differential amplifiers, mixers, dynamic latches, registers and their equivalents, can also benefit from the use of a phase-coherent transformer as disclosed herein. A differential structure according to the present disclosure has connections and circuitry for both 0 and 180 degree phases of signal inputs and outputs and is able to suppress even harmonics and noise from interference caused by the substrate, ground and/or power supply.

The foregoing detailed description of exemplary and preferred embodiments is presented for purposes of illustration and disclosure in accordance with the requirements of the law. It is not intended to be exhaustive nor to limit the invention to the precise form(s) described, but only to enable others skilled in the art to understand how the invention may be suited for a particular use or implementation. The possibility of modifications and variations will be apparent to practitioners skilled in the art. No limitation is intended by the description of exemplary embodiments which may have included tolerances, feature dimensions, specific operating conditions, engineering specifications, or the like, and which may vary between implementations or with changes to the state of the art, and no limitation should be implied therefrom. Applicant has made this disclosure with respect to the current state of the art, but also contemplates advancements and that adaptations in the future may take into consideration of those advancements, namely in accordance with the then current state of the art. It is intended that the scope of the invention be defined by the Claims as written and equivalents as applicable. Reference to a claim element in the singular is not intended to mean “one and only one” unless explicitly so stated. Moreover, no element, component, nor method or process step in this disclosure is intended to be dedicated to the public regardless of whether the element, component, or step is explicitly recited in the claims. No claim element herein is to be construed under the provisions of 35 U.S.C. Sec. 112, sixth paragraph, unless the element is expressly recited using the phrase “means for . . . ” and no method or process step herein is to be construed under those provisions unless the step, or steps, are expressly recited using the phrase “step(s) for . . . . ” 

We claim:
 1. A circuit, comprising: a differential structure having a first circuit for accepting a first input and a second circuit for accepting a second input; a phase-coherent transformer connected to the differential structure for storing magnetic energy reverberating between the first circuit and the second circuit in accordance with toggling of the first input and the second input; wherein the differential structure is a frequency divider having a master only (M/O) latch topology.
 2. The circuit as recited in claim 1, wherein the phase-coherent transformer comprises a first pair of inductors of opposite polarity to one another and connected to the first circuit, and a second pair of inductors of opposite polarity to one another and connected to the second circuit, wherein the first pair of inductors are phase coherent with the second pair of inductors.
 3. The circuit as recited in claim 1, wherein the differential structure comprises one or more MOS transistors.
 4. The circuit as recited in claim 1, wherein the differential structure comprises one or more bipolar transistors.
 5. The circuit as recited in claim 1, wherein the first input of the differential structure is 180 degrees out of phase with the second input of the differential structure.
 6. A circuit, comprising: a differential structure having a first transistor circuit for accepting a first input and a second transistor circuit for accepting a second input; a phase-coherent transformer connected to the differential structure for storing magnetic energy reverberating between the first transistor circuit and the second transistor circuit in accordance with toggling of the first input and the second input.
 7. The circuit as recited in claim 6, wherein the differential structure is selected from the group consisting of differential amplifiers, mixers, frequency dividers, dynamic latches and registers.
 8. The circuit as recited in claim 6, wherein the phase-coherent transformer comprises a first pair of inductors of opposite polarity to one another and connected to the first transistor circuit, and a second pair of inductors of opposite polarity to one another and connected to the second transistor circuit, wherein the first pair of inductors are phase coherent with the second pair of inductors.
 9. The circuit as recited in claim 6, wherein the first input of the differential structure is 180 degrees out of phase with the second input of the differential structure.
 10. The circuit as recited in claim 6, wherein said differential structure comprises at least one pair of sense transistors and one pair of latching transistors.
 11. The circuit as recited in claim 6, wherein said phase-coherent transformer has a plurality of windings, with one winding coupled to each opposing side of the differential structure in each of said first transistor circuit and said second transistor circuit.
 12. A circuit, comprising: a differential structure having a first transistor circuit for accepting a first input and a second transistor circuit for accepting a second input, with said first and second inputs comprising a differential input signal; and a phase-coherent transformer connected to the differential structure for storing magnetic energy reverberating between the first transistor circuit and the second transistor circuit in accordance with toggling of the differential input signal; wherein said differential structure comprises at least one pair of sense transistors and one pair of latching transistors.
 13. The circuit as recited in claim 12, wherein the phase-coherent transformer comprises a first pair of inductors of opposite polarity to one another and connected to the first transistor circuit, and a second pair of inductors of opposite polarity to one another and connected to the second transistor circuit, wherein the first pair of inductors are phase coherent with the second pair of inductors.
 14. The circuit as recited in claim 12, wherein the differential structure comprises one or more MOS transistors.
 15. The circuit as recited in claim 12, wherein the differential structure comprises one or more bipolar transistors.
 16. The circuit as recited in claim 12, wherein the first input of the differential structure is 180 degrees out of phase with the second input of the differential structure.
 17. The circuit as recited in claim 12, wherein the differential structure is selected form the group consisting of differential amplifiers, mixers, frequency dividers, dynamic latches and registers. 